Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister confirm to the House that between March 2009 and last week, notwithstanding his knowledge of asbestos contamination in Telstra infrastructure, he made no contact and raised the matter with neither Telstra nor NBN Co. in that intervening period?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the member for Wentworth continuing the politicisation of asbestos. But, in terms of following up on the matters, following 27 March I did actually write to Telstra again, on 4 August 2009. I am happy to table that. Then on 2 November I wrote again to Telstra about their issues. At that point Telstra again wrote back to me with a detailed proposition about what they are doing. So, in fact, I am happy to see how many communications—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. Then what happened?

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney!

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My goodness! This is more relevant than your questions. I am happy to understand from the shadow minister for communications how he has not raised any issues if he is meant to be across the issues of Telstra. I am interested to see—

Opposition members interjecting—

I tell you what: whilst I may have got in a traffic jam going out to Penrith on Saturday, it was not caused by a whole long list of federal Liberal MPs rushing out to see asbestos exposure victims. Very tawdry!